Kristine & Ben

Kristine &

Ben

Kristine & Ben

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Tide Pool Adventures

One of my favorite activities in our new home environment is heading out to check out low tide or "tide pooling". We have several spots that are very close to our home but another great location is along the rocky areas of Cannon Beach! I highly recommend exploring low tide and seeing what you can find. I have had the opportunity to see sea stars (starfish), anemones, crabs and lots of different snails. Haystack rock is a great area but I find it to be a bit overpopulated with people looking during a low tide and can make many of the creatures disappear due to the disturbance. Any area where there are rocks and small pools of water along the shore would be great to check out. I'm posting some more information here in case others want to check it out. It looks like during our wedding weekend low tides will be early-ish morning.

Thursday, August 4 8:23 AM -1.0 (best of the weekend)

Friday, August 5 8:58 AM -0.6

Saturday, August 6 9:32 AM -0.2

Sunday, August 7 10:04 AM 0.3

Monday, August 8 10:38 AM 0.9

What you might find in the tidepool....

Cnidarians (sea anemones)

Molluscs (mussels, snails, limpets, chitons and maybe even an octopus!)

Arthropods (crabs and barnacles)

Echinoderms (sea stars and urchins)

Fish (tidepool sculpins)

Tunicates (sea squirts)

Birds (gulls, oystercatchers, shorebirds)

Algae (seaweed, kelp)

Marine mammals (seals, sea lions)

Tips for a Safe Environment for you and the Creatures

While it may seem fun to do so, it is best not to poke, prod, pry off, squash, collect or otherwise injure plants and animals of the rocky shore. If you want to see how something feels, it is best to first wet your hands then do so very gently. Prying animals off rocks can tear off their arms and feet and squeeze out their organs! For some species (like mature mussels), not only can they not reattach themselves (and will die) once pulled off a rock, it can also take years for others to grow back.

Every tidepool species has its place in the rocky shore ecosystem. A rocky shore inhabitant’s tolerance to changing temperature, desiccation (drying out) and other natural forces such as battering surf, along with everyday things such as how they feed and reproduce determines where in the rocky shore it lives.

Moving something (even a small distance) can disrupt the delicate balance and even kill it.

Different kinds of organisms live on the top and bottom sides of rocks, so if you do disrupt a rock, please put it back the way you found it. Please, do not leave rocks overturned, as this will likely result in the death of all its inhabitants.

Try your best to step on bare rock and sand when possible, not only will you be safer but so will the species that call tidepools their home. That crunching sound beneath your feet is probably a barnacle; if it sounds “squishy” it may be a sea anemone.

Some species have natural defenses to protect themselves from predators. These defense mechanisms can sometimes hurt humans.

Anemones have stinging cells called nematocysts that they use to stun prey and scare off predators. Some people can have allergic reactions to anemones.

Crabs have very sharp and strong claws that allow them to protect themselves and gather food. They will run away and hide as you approach, however if you decide to pick one up, be very careful!

While tidepool creatures are accustomed to the natural forces of wind and waves, these actions are quite different than that of a human foot or hand. Scientists have shown that human use of tidepools can have a negative effect on the creatures that live there.

The best way to be a good tidepool steward is to observe the species in their naturalenvironment and take pictures to remember your experience.

Rather not brave the outdoors and want to get a close-up experience? Check out the Seaside Aquarium. I have heard great things but have not yet had a chance to see it! http://www.seasideaquarium.com/index.php

Added by Kristine on Sun, Jun 26th 2016

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Why Cannon Beach?

Thanks for checking out our wedding website. We hope that this will be an online forum to help guests obtain infomation and planning for their trip out to celebrate with us.

Cannon Beach is a small beach town on the Oregon coast, approximately 80 miles west of Portland. It started as an artist colony and has kept its unique charm. Its most notable feature is Haystack Rock, which you may recognize from some movies such as The Goonies or Free Willy. The sandy shore, moderate temperatures, and beautiful sunsets make it an ideal place for a great escape!

We first fell in love with Cannon Beach in February 2013, and have been back several times since. The town itself has lots of little shops, restaurants/taverns, and galleries to explore. It is very walkable.

Approximately 8 miles to the north of Cannon Beach is the city of Seaside. Here is where you will find some of the more common hotel/restaurant chains that Cannon Beach doesn't have such as Best Western, Comfort Inn & Suites, and the standard fast-food brands.

We will use this blog and the sections on the website to share information about lodging, events for the weekend, etc. It is our hope to share in the celebration of our love with our closest friends and family, and for everyone to have a relaxing getaway at the beach!

Added by Kristine & Ben on Sun, Jul 12th 2015

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Are Kids Invited?

Everyone knows Kristine loves kids, and Cannon Beach is a great place for a family vacation. Unfortunately, we only have room for so many! For our ceremony and reception, only children of family members and the bridal party will be on the formal invitation list. We know other guests may choose to bring their kids, as well as grandma/grandpa or others along for the ride, and they are more than welcome to join us after the ceremony/reception at our beach bonfire and S'more roasting!

Added by Kristine on Mon, Jul 13th 2015

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Wedding Schedule

Our wedding date is fast approaching and we hope that everyone is starting to get excited for a fun-filled beach weekend. We wanted to let you know what we have planned for the wedding weekend.

Friday, August 5th: Beach Bonfire Gathering - Dusk

We will have a short rehearsal with the wedding party and then after the "work" is done we will come out to play. Meet us behind Surfsand Resort for a beach bonfire. Some s'mores, hot dogs and drinks will be provided but feel free to bring your own too.

Saturday, August 6th: Ceremony & Reception - Starts at 5PM

Reception: 6 - 10 PM

Beach Bonfire with S'mores to follow

Sunday, August 7th: Kristine's Beach Day with the kids

After all the formal festivities are done its time to relax. For those staying on Sunday evening we plan to stay low key with a beach day and being able to spend some more time with friends.

Many of our friends and family will be taking other adventures to nearby Astoria, OR to see the movie museum or check out the Shipwreck. Check out our next blog post for more ideas on what to do nearby the wedding location.

Added by Kristine & Ben on Sun, Mar 27th 2016

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Adventures Await

Things to do in Astoria, OR

In February of 2013, Kristine planned a secret getaway for Ben to say "thank you" for all the support during our transition to Washington. We ended up staying in Astoria, OR and this is also how we found Cannon Beach. The distance is about 26 miles or 42 minutes of travel between Surfsand and Astoria. If you have some extra time in the area we highly recommend Astoria. There are several things here that we loved when we visited:

The Astoria Column: "Standing above the city–600 feet above sea level to be exact–the Astoria Column unleashes an unrivaled view of Young’s Bay, the Coast Range, the mighty Columbia River, and in the distance—the Pacific Ocean. Its light shines each night as a silent testament to the pride, fortitude, and resolve of the people who settled the Pacific Northwest, and to those who live here today."

http://astoriacolumn.org/

Columbia River Maritime Museum: I wouldn't say we are big "museum" people but this one captured our attention for sure. Very interesting display and information about the difficulties in water passage in this area. Well worth the trip and you can get information about where to see some local shipwrecks (another awesome activity).

http://www.crmm.org/

Oregon Film Museum: Last but definitely not least is the Oregon Film Museum located in the old Clatsop County Jail (a familiar scene from Goonies). Lots of famliiar films were filmed in the area such as : The Goonies (see the house though privately owned); Kindergarten Cop and Animal House. There is driving tour information if you want to check out filming locations and see where your favorite scenes were developed.

http://www.oregonfilmmuseum.com/default.aspx

Breweries: No adventure would be complete in our world without a stop at a local brewery. Two great opportunities in Astoria include Rogue Brewery on the pier and Fort George. We highly recommend the pizza at the Rogue Brewery and Kristine loved Fort George fish tacos.